U.S. patent application number 10/386222 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-02 for optical component with multiple glass optical elements and manufacturing method thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Fukuda, Masaaki, Mukasa, Katsunori, Muto, Hiroyasu, Sato, Yasuhiko.
Application Number | 20030184873 10/386222 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 28449309 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030184873 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Muto, Hiroyasu ; et
al. |
October 2, 2003 |
Optical component with multiple glass optical elements and
manufacturing method thereof
Abstract
The present invention relates to an optical component in which a
plurality of glass optical elements are integrated thus improving
the productivity and providing consistent quality. The optical
component of the present invention comprises a plurality of lens
parts 1 which is formed from glass material by press molding, a
tubular leg part 2 which is formed during the press molding, and
which bends at and extends downward from the periphery of the lens
part 1, a planar part 3 which bends outwardly and extends
horizontally from the tubular leg part 2 providing connection to
other lens parts 1, and the cover glass 4 of the image sensor chip
5, which is fixed onto the lower surface of the planar part 3,
and/or image sensor chip 5 which is disposed below the lens part
1.
Inventors: |
Muto, Hiroyasu;
(Saitama-city, JP) ; Mukasa, Katsunori; (Saitama
City, JP) ; Fukuda, Masaaki; (Saitama City, JP)
; Sato, Yasuhiko; (Saitama City, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JORDAN AND HAMBURG LLP
122 EAST 42ND STREET
SUITE 4000
NEW YORK
NY
10168
US
|
Assignee: |
Fuji Photo Optical Co.,
Ltd.
Saitama City
JP
|
Family ID: |
28449309 |
Appl. No.: |
10/386222 |
Filed: |
March 11, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
359/642 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 7/026 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
359/642 |
International
Class: |
G02B 013/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 26, 2002 |
JP |
2002-086497 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An optical component with multiple glass optical elements,
comprising: a plurality of lens parts being formed from glass
material by press molding; a tubular leg part being formed during
the press molding, the tubular leg part bending at and extending
downwardly from the periphery of the lens part; a planer part
bending outwardly and extending horizontally from the tubular leg
part, providing connection to other lens parts; and a cover glass
of image sensor chip fixed onto the lower surface of the planar
part, and/or an image sensor chip disposed below the lens part.
2. The optical component with multiple glass optical elements
according to claim 1, wherein a cutting allowance is provided on
said planar part for separating said plurality of lens parts into
multiple pieces.
3. The optical component with multiple glass optical elements
according to claim 1, wherein a cutting allowance is provided on
said planar part for separating said plurality of lens parts into
multiple pieces, and a cutting line is provided on the upper
surface of the planar part for cutting the cutting allowance.
4. The optical component with multiple glass optical elements
according to claim 1, wherein a recess is provided on the lower
surface of the planar part adjacent to the point where the planar
part bends from the tubular leg part, the recess being applied with
an adhesive in order to fix the planar part to the cover glass or
the image sensor chip.
5. The optical component with multiple glass optical elements
according to claim 1, wherein a cutting allowance is provided on
said planar part for separating said plurality of lens parts into
multiple pieces, and a recess is provided on the lower surface of
the planar part adjacent to the point where the planar part bends
from the tubular leg part, the recess being applied with an
adhesive in order to fix the planar part to the cover glass or the
image sensor chip.
6. An optical component with multiple glass optical elements
according to claim 1, wherein a cutting allowance is provided on
said planar part for separating said plurality of lens parts into
multiple pieces; a cutting line is provided on the upper surface of
the planar part for cutting the cutting allowance; a recess is
provided on the lower surface of the planar part adjacent to the
point where the planar part bends from the tubular leg part, the
recess being applied with an adhesive in order to fix the planar
part to the cover glass or the image sensor chip.
7. A method of manufacturing an optical component, comprising the
steps of: forming an integral glass sheet of multiple optical
elements consisting of; a plurality of lens parts, a tubular leg
part which bending at and extending downwardly from the periphery
of said lens part, and a planer part bending outwardly and
extending horizontally from said tubular leg part, the planer part
providing connection to other lens parts; fabricating an integral
sheet of multiple optical components by fixing cover glass and/or
image sensor chips onto the lower surface of the planar part of
said integral glass sheet of multiple optical elements in alignment
therewith, and cutting said integral sheet of optical components to
separate into multiple optical components.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a sheet-like optical
component which integrates an image sensor chip such as a CCD and
CMOS and/or cover glass placed on the chip with a glass optical
element in multiple numbers, and to the manufacturing method of the
same.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventional optical components, such as one called a
"microlens", are manufactured one by one by melting and thereby
softening a spherical glass material (a glass preform) and pressing
it with molding dies having a shaping surface which forms the
optical surface of the lens to be produced.
[0005] To convert thus manufactured lens 100 into an optical
component in which the lens is combined with an image sensor chip
101 and cover glass 103, it has been necessary to incorporate the
lens 100 and cover glass 103 into a lens barrel 102 in
correspondence with the image sensor chip 101 as shown in FIG.
1.
[0006] As described above, in manufacturing a conventional optical
component, each of lens, cover glass, image sensor chip must be
manufactured separately in respective processes and then
incorporated into a lens barrel, and this has caused a low
productivity and also a problem in quality stability of, for
example, positioning accuracy in the incorporation of the parts
into the lens barrel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to
provide an optical component having a plurality of glass optical
elements, in which the plurality of glass optical elements are
formed into one piece thus improving the productivity and providing
consistent quality, and a manufacturing method thereof.
[0008] To achieve the above described object, the present invention
comprises: a plurality of lens parts which are formed from glass
material by press molding; a tubular leg part which is formed
during the press molding, and which bends at and extends downward
from the periphery of the lens part; a planer part which bends
outwardly and extends horizontally from the tubular leg part
providing connection to other lens parts; and the cover glass of
the image sensor chip, which is fixed onto the lower surface of the
planar part, and/or image sensor chip which is disposed below the
lens part. According to the invention, a plurality of glass optical
elements can be manufactured at the same time thus improving the
productivity. Further, since the image sensor chip and the glass
optical element, or the cover glass of the image sensor chip and
the glass optical element are integrated, it is possible to obtain
optical components of consistent quality by cutting each of them
separately.
[0009] Further, the manufacturing method according to the present
invention comprises the steps of: forming an integral glass sheet
of multiple optical elements consisting of: a plurality of lens
parts, a tubular leg part which bends at and extends downwardly
from the periphery of said lens part, and a planer part which bends
outwardly and extends horizontally from said tubular leg part
providing connection to other lens parts; fabricating an integral
sheet of multiple optical components by fixing cover glass and/or
image sensor chips in a registered state onto the lower surface of
the planar part of said integral glass sheet of multiple optical
elements, and cutting said integral sheet of optical components to
cut away plurality of optical components. According to the method
of the present invention, it is possible to significantly improve
the productivity and to cut costs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a sectional view to show a prior art example;
[0011] FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of FIG. 3 to show a
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a plain view;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view to show dies for press
molding;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view to show the process step of
fixing the lens sheet, cover glass, and the image sensor chip
together; and
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view to show the step of cutting the
sheet obtained through the fixing step as shown in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] Hereinbelow, preferred embodiments of the present invention
will be described referring to the drawings.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged sectional view of an
embodiment shown in FIG. 3, which comprises a lens part 1, a
tubular leg part 2 which bends at and extends from the periphery of
the lens part 1, a planar part 3 which bends outwardly and extends
horizontally from the tubular leg part 2 providing connection to
other lens parts 1, cover glass 4 which is fixed onto the lower
surface of the planar part 3, and an image sensor chip 5 located
under the cover glass 4 and arranged to correspond to the focus of
the lens part 1. In FIG. 1, the cover glass 4 and the image sensor
chip 5 are shown in a simplified manner. The image sensor chip 5
may also be disposed below the cover glass 4 after cutting away one
by one portions of the lens part 1 of the sheet in which a
plurality of glass optical elements and cover glass 4 are
integrated. Alternatively, the image sensor chips 5 may be fixed
directly to the planer part 3 without providing the cover glass
4.
[0018] The above described lens part 1, tubular leg part 2, planar
part 3 are formed from glass material by press molding. The planar
part 3 connecting the multiple lens parts 1 is provided with a
cutting allowance for separating the multiple lens parts 1 into
multiple pieces, and cutting lines 6 for cutting the the cutting
allowance portion are formed on the upper surface of the planar
part 3. In this embodiment, although the cutting lines 6 were
formed so as to cut the portion of the lens parts 1 into single
pieces, the location for forming the cutting lines 6 may be changed
for the cases in which the lens parts 1 are used as a pair, or as a
set of three or more depending on applications. The cover glass 4
and the planar part 3 are bonded with an adhesive, and a circular
recess 7 to be applied with an adhesive is provided on the lower
surface of the planar part 3 so that the adhesive would not flow
out to the side of the lens part 1. In this embodiment, multiple
glass optical elements with a lens part 1, a tubular leg part 2,
and a planar part 3 are press molded; and thereafter, the cover
glass 4 and the planar part 3 are bonded with an adhesive utilizing
the recess 7.
[0019] FIG. 3 is a plain view of the whole structure, showing that
eight glass optical elements are formed in longitudinal and lateral
directions respectively. Also there are formed two position
markings 8 on one side of the rectangle and a similar positioning
marking 8 on one of the adjacent sides of the forgoing side and
near the end closer to the forgoing marking 8. These markings 8 are
utilized to position the image sensor chip 5 with precision against
each lens part 1.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a sectional view to show the region including a
lens part 1 in an exemplary state of the press molding. The figure
shows that there are provided an upper core 11 in an upper die 10,
a lower core 13 in the lower die 12, and upper and lower partition
dies 14, 15 surrounding the upper and lower dies 10, 12. Glass
material is placed in a molten and softened state between the
upper/lower dies 10, 12 and upper/lower partition dies 14, 15, and
then pressed by tightening the upper/lower dies 10, 12, upper/lower
partition dies 14, 15, and the upper/lower cores 11, 13 to
fabricate a sheet-like piece in which a plurality of glass optical
elements are integrated as shown in FIG. 2. The glass material to
be used may be SiO.sub.2-alkaline oxides-alkaline earth oxides or
other various optical glass materials. The front end surface of
each upper and lower cores 11, 13 is formed into a shape extending
along the desired spherical surface of the lens part 1.
[0021] The sheet-like piece (lens sheet) 20 which is molded as
described above and into which a plurality of lenses are integrated
is taken out from the molding dies and transferred to the fixing
step as shown in FIG. 5. In the fixing step, the cover glass 4 and
image sensor chip 5 are adhesively secured (fixed) to the lens
sheet 20 in a registered state. The term "registered state" means a
state in which the optical axis of individual lens of the
sheet-like piece (lens sheet 20) substantially corresponds to the
center of each element of the image sensor chip 5. Thus adhesively
secured (fixed) lens sheet 20, cover glass 4, and image sensor chip
5 are transformed into an integral sheet of multiple optical
component as one unit and held with a retaining member (not
shown).
[0022] In a state held as described above, the integral sheet
undergoes a cutting step in which individual optical components are
cut away with a cutter 30 as shown in FIG. 6 in such a way that one
lens corresponds to one image sensor chip 1.
[0023] In an optical component manufactured through the above
described process steps, the lens, cover glass 4, and image sensor
chip 5 have already been integrally fixed to one another.
Furthermore, since these lenses are preformed with a tubular leg
part 2, which corresponds to a lens barrel 102 of prior art, and a
planar part 3 which bends outwardly and extends horizontally from
the leg part 2, there is no need to incorporate them into the lens
barrel afterward and this will allow an improvement in
productivity. In view of positioning accuracy, if the positioning
of the tubular leg part 2 and the planar part 3 against the image
sensor chip 5 is accurately performed, there will be no need to
consider the looseness between the lens barrel and the lens, and
this will make it possible to improve the accuracy thereby
stabilizing the quality.
* * * * *